Village Inks Potential $12 Million Gas Lease Agreement

January 15, 2014

Barnesville officials signed another lease agreement with Antero Resources this week, this time for water sales.

Council members finalized and signed the contract at Monday's meeting. The village agreed to supply up to 1.5 million gallons of water per day from the Slope Creek Reservoir for the next five years for $1 million paid over those five years, plus a water fee per 1,000 gallons used that could mean an additional $11 million dollars in revenue.

An analysis done by a Dublin, Ohio firm found that the reservoir is able to maintain that level of withdrawal and replenishment. Randall Randolph, supervisor of land surface operations for Antero, said this specific agreement has been in the works for about six months. Council president Dale Bunting said revenue from this program will allow the village to improve and replace water lines running from Slope Creek to Barnesville at no cost to the taxpayers.